NIAGARA UNIVERSITY, NY – Niagara women's soccer fell to 1-7 in 2023 with a 1-0 loss to the Zips of Akron (2-5) Thursday night in non-conference action from Niagara Field.  
 
How it Happened
The Purple Eagles nearly scored the matches opening marker in the 7th minute of action when Amanda Cripps saw her shot go off the crossbar and Emma Bough's rebound effort went wide.
 
Kelsey Riordan would make her first save of the contest in the 8th minute of play on the first of five shots Akron sent her way over the next five minutes of action.
 
Cripps would get another chance in the 20th minute, but was once again denied her first goal of the season as the Zip goalie made the save on the senior striker.
 
Over the next four minutes, Akron would take four shots, two of which were saved by Riordan, while the other two went wide left of the goal.
 
Djeynaba Thiam would come off the bench for NU and immediately find herself one-on-one with the Akron goalie, but the Rochester, N.Y., native was beat to the ball by the Zip netminder to keep the game scoreless. Thiam would get another chance in the 42nd minute, but once again her chance was met by the Akron keeper, sending the game into the break with a scoreless tie.
 
The first 20-minutes of play in the second half was all Niagara as the Purple Eagles took six shots, including a pair of shots on goal. Isabella Mazzaferro had two attempts go wide, while Cripps and Emily Hahnel saw their attempts met by the visiting goalie.
 
Akron would beat Riordan for the games lone goal in the 71st minute of play, an unassisted goal scored by Emma King.
 
Trailing by a goal in the final 15 minutes of action, the Purple Eagles would attempt to mount a comeback to salvage at least a draw with the Zips, however, the only two shots by NU in the final minutes of play failed to threaten the Akron lead, resulting in the 1-0 win for the visitors.
 
Niagara Notes
• Niagara had its two-game win streak against Akron snapped, falling to 5-2-1 all-time against the Zips dating back to 2004.
• The Purple Eagles recorded a season-high 17 shots, surpassing their previous high of 16 set against Le Moyne on Aug. 27.
• NU registered five shots on goal for the fifth time this season.
 
Up Next
Niagara will take its first MAAC roadtrip of the season when it travels to New Rochelle, N.Y., on Sunday, Sep. 17 for a noon match with the Gaels.
 
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